Mothers of Boise Unite!

City of Boise Anti-Smoking Public Information Meeting

2011-09-29T18:56:00.000-06:00

The City of Boise is considering passing an ordinance that would prohibit smoking in public parks and along the greenbelt. As a mother I feel that it is VERY IMPORTANT that this ordinance get passed. I am so sick of walking along the greenbelt with my sons only to have to make a WIDE berth to pass people who are smoking. I do not want my children to get lung cancer thanks to second hand smoke they breathe in at the PARK. It is up to us to ensure our children's safety and well being. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE e-mail the mayor AND the council, CALL them, SHOW UP at the meeting on October 5 and let them know that we WANT them to pass the ordinance prohibiting smoking in parks and along the greenbelt; and hey, why not EVERY public area? It would be so great not to have to ever breathe that in unwillingly.

Can you believe that since 2008 the city has only recieved 770 e-mails and phone calls regarding this issue? Let's DOUBLE that in the next week. Tell all of your friends. Let's let our city council KNOW we WANT them to pass this ordinance!

mayor@cityofboise.org
council@cityofboise.org
For more information:
http://www.cityofboise.org/Departments/Mayor/NewsReleases/2011/page67505.aspx

Thank you ladies! As mothers and parents we can fight together for the health of our children.

Ay yi yi

2011-09-22T10:41:00.000-06:00

Time flys! I can't believe it is ALREADY September! Fall is just around the corner, and summer is gracing us with a few last days of warmth. I have been getting into canning and baking mode, canning jars of raspberry jam, freezing our zucchini and even canning my very first tomato sauce! This week Fred Meyer has their organic raspberries on sale 2 for $4. That is a GREAT price for organic raspberries, and they make YUMMY jam. I am anxiously awaiting the apple sales to make lots and lots of applesauce :). What have you been making?

Recipe

2011-07-23T20:50:00.002-06:00

My husband grew an AMAZING garden this year. Our zucchini recently has gotten to the point of being big enough to pick and eat, and it is yummy! I have been craving pumpkin bread for the past few weeks and finally got around to making some today. I decided to incorporate our zucchini and it turned out DELISH.

Recipe:

6 egg whites

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey

15 oz (1 can) canned pumpkin

1/3 cup applesauce

2/3 cup vanilla yogurt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 zucchini pureed in food processor w/ liquid drained

Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately, then mix together. Add 1/2 bag of chocolate chips and bake at 340 for approx 40-50 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.

Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting (1 8oz bar of softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup of butter, and 1 cup of powdered sugar beat together).

ENJOY!

Birthdays!

2011-07-14T19:23:00.000-06:00

I LOVE birthdays. Mostly because I love dessert and all things fun ;) Birthdays in our house last the ENTIRE day (sometimes even a whole weekend!) We do ALL of the birthday person's favorite activities and foods. It is an entire day full of things they love! My son is turning 2 next month and I would like to change it up a bit for him and do an actual 'party' for him after dinner, complete with games, prizes, etc. He doesn't have very many playmates, so it will be just a small family party, and I need ideas! I am thinking of doing a beach theme as we leave for the beach a couple days after his birthday. Any cute suggestions? What do you do for birthdays?

Trendy Chicks

2011-07-12T22:22:00.000-06:00

Chickens are all over the news in Boise these days. There are backyard chicken classes at Zamzows, at home shows, and books for sale regarding how to raise them almost every where I go. Have you tried it yet? My family and I are currently raising 3 hens. We have had them since March, and it has been so much fun! They should start laying within the next couple of weeks, and my husband is anxiously waiting. I have to say it gives our backyard a new feel. They are cooped in on the same corner as our garden is located and I love the 'country' ambiance of our yard. I am loving our new 'pets'! Have you jumped on the bandwagon yet? They are surprisingly easy to raise!

Weekend Activities

2011-07-08T22:11:00.000-06:00

This looks like fun!
Living Energy Festival

Camping

2011-07-07T19:40:00.000-06:00

My husband loves the outdoors. Before I met him he was an avid rock climber, snowboarder, boater (is that a word?), and camper. That all changed when we had kids... it is pretty hard and frustrating to take infants on those activities. I profess to love nature but have to admit, my distaste for bugs and cold overrides my enjoyment of most outdoor activities that last longer than a few hours. However our boys are FINALLY old enough to take 'into the wild'. My husband is thrilled, and I am a bit excited myself. While I am admitting my displeasure for all things slimy, I may as well confess that I think the most boring part of camping is the morning/afternoon. There is only so much hiking/river playing a girl can do. Any suggestions of how to pass the time? Where are your favorite nearby places to go camping?

Advice!

2011-06-24T21:06:00.000-06:00

Alright Ladies, I need some advice! My 1 year old (almost 2) has been biting my 3 1/2 year old. The 3 year old cries and the 1 year old grins. I have tried time out, taking toys, etc. Nothing seems to work. I have even tried the soap in the mouth technique my mom used when my sister was little... he just grins, walks up to us and laughs as he says 'bite you'. Not sure what to do.... any one else have this problem?

Weekend Activities

2011-06-23T22:10:00.000-06:00

This looks like it could be a fun, leisurely activity to do with the kiddos this weekend:
Boise Rec Fest

If you are up for a drive, this looks awesome!
Celebration of Flight

Date night?
Country Dancing

This looks great! Wish I could find a bit more info on it:
Summer Star Party

Kids + Cleaning = Disaster

2011-06-23T22:01:00.000-06:00

Ugh! Venting moment! ;)
Problem: My house is a mess, laundry needs to be washed, floors need to be vacuumed, hardwood needs to be mopped.
Solution: I clean. Sounds easy right? Right.
Reality: I clean. Toys get strewn about. I clean again. I mop. Boys also want to mop. We take turns. Moping takes 5x as long as it should. I vacuum. Vacuum scares 1 year old, so he clings to me and won't let go. I vacuum one-handed. VERY slowly. I wash and dry laundry. I fold laundry. Laundry basket gets tipped upside down so it can be used as a fort. Clothes end up all over the newly mopped floor. I fold laundry once again. Laundry finally gets put away. By this time, everything is messy again so process starts over.

Does this sound familiar to any of you?
Chocolate here I come! :)

Summer programs

2011-06-23T09:38:00.000-06:00

The libraries have some GREAT programs for the kids. They have music and movement, craft days, and something for kids of all ages. Go to Boise Public Library to find their online calendar and an activity that works with your schedule. They also have a summer reading program to keep kids learning and reading through the summer....

Summer Project?

2011-06-20T19:40:00.000-06:00

Need a summer project? Have an old dresser lying around? Make one of these!

Dollhouse Dresser

How cute! Wonder how I could turn this into a boy- geared toy.... maybe a parking garage? Love it!

Great American Backyard Campout- Saturday June 25

2011-06-20T10:55:00.000-06:00

How cute is this??

Great American Backyard Campout

I think the boys and I will be setting up our 'tent' and having a backyard camping experience this weekend :)
S'mores, forts, and (vegetarian) hot dogs sound like the perfect way to spend a summer weekend to me!

Weekend Activities

2011-06-17T09:31:00.003-06:00

Some fun activities to do this weekend:

Emmett Cherry Festival

and

Meridian Dairy Days

They both look like so much fun!

Enjoy your weekend!

Date night idea

2011-06-14T17:11:00.002-06:00

My husband surprised me with the sweetest date night a couple of weeks ago. He set up the picnic basket with our fondue pot and supplies, candles, a bottle of wine, and some chocolate. He then took me on a late night date night to Julia Davis park where he set out a blanket and all our our 'picnic' items then we had a romantic dinner together. It was awesome! If you need any date night ideas, I highly recommend this one :)

Summer in Boise

2011-06-14T17:06:00.002-06:00

One of the MAJOR reasons I love Boise is because of the summer! There are SO many outdoor activities to do within a short distance.

- The greenbelt (walk, jog, bike, picnic, throw rocks in the river, you name it)

- The foothills; Camel's Back park and the trails around it

- The RESTAURANTS; it is SO easy to go out to eat with kids when you can sit on a patio and easily distract them with things they can see from the table

- Lucky Peak; boating, camping, etc

- Floating the river (you can't live in Boise and not do this at least once ;) )

- The sno cone shacks! YUM

- All of the fun annual festivals; Art in the Park, Hyde Park Street Fair, Western Idaho State Fair, etc

- The Markets! Saturday Market, Bown Crossing Market, Meridian Market, etc

Have a fun and eventful summer!

Melting Pot Anniversary Special!

2009-06-13T11:20:00.002-06:00

On June 15th and 16th the Melting Pot is celebrating their anniversary! There will be $5 entrees, $5 salads, $5 cheese fondue, $5 chocolate fondue, and $5 wine/beer selection. You do not have to get all of the courses to get the special price! Make reservations ASAP to make sure you can get a great price on some amazing fondue!! :)

Friday = Mega Swagbucks Day!

2009-06-04T21:17:00.002-06:00

Don't forget to search online tomorrow to earn Swagbucks! I just earned a free $10 gift card to Starbucks by doing searches... if you haven't signed up yet, here is the link:

Swagbucks is a search engine (like google, yahoo, dogpile) that gives you points for doing searches... with those points you can get gift cards to Amazon, Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, etc.

Once you get the hang of it, check out my Swagbucks tips on the right-hand column of the blog to increase your odds of getting points.

Comments!

2009-06-03T10:24:00.002-06:00

I would love to hear more from the readers of my blog! I would like this blog to become more of an "information exchange" blog than it has been in the past.... so if you have something to add to my posts, PLEASE PLEASE feel free to comment :)

Vacations!

2009-06-03T10:23:00.001-06:00

Summer is here! It is the time to go camping, hiking, and for outdoor activities! What do you and your families like to do for vacations? Also: how do you save money while planning vacations???

Restaurant.com

2009-06-03T10:15:00.002-06:00

I LOVE restaurant.com . It is a website that allows you to purchase gift cards (that have purchase stipulations, so basically they are like coupons) for local restaurants at a discounted price. At the end of the month you can buy a $25 gift card for only $2 or $3.... you usually have to spend at least $35 at the restaurant in order to use the gift card, but if you are going out to eat anyways, why not get a discount?!

My husband and I use this website frequently for date nights....

Yay!

2009-05-10T17:45:00.002-06:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mamas out there! Hope your husbands/children are treating you well today!

Outdoor Fun

2009-04-29T14:50:00.002-06:00

Spring is finally here (thank goodness!) and soon it will be summer. What summer activities do you guys do with your little ones? Let's make a list so when we get bored we can try something new (or forgotten lol)!

*Go to the Boise Zoo
*PARKS!
*Run through the sprinklers
*Blow bubbles (outdoors so there are no sticky floors!)
*Color with sidewalk chalk
*Feed the ducks/geese at the greenbelt
*Go on a walk
*Sno-cones!
*Picnic

What suggestions do you have?

Carters (sort of) Recall

2009-04-15T11:08:00.002-06:00

As I was pulling out my son's old clothes for our (soon to be) baby, I was reminded of the Carters 'Tagless Tag' issues. A style of tag they used from 2007- 2008 gave some children chemical burns and rashes, so they have been refunding the money of those purchases. I checked my baby clothes and had 28 of those outfits! So I called Carters and they are sending me a pre-paid box to ship them the clothes in, then as soon as they receive and process the clothes I will get a check for the suggested retail value at the time they were sold! I am very excited that my baby will get new clothes AND won't be exposed to the tags. Here is the link if you need more information or want to call and get the process started for clothes of your children:

http://www.carters.com/corporate/tagless_message.aspx

'Green' information/ entertainment

2009-04-05T09:37:00.003-06:00

Here are a few great websites I have found and enjoy...
http://grist.org
www.groovygreen.com/groove
http://littlegreenblog.com/category/blog/

Does anyone have any 'green' tips they want to share?

Playgroup

2009-04-02T20:17:00.003-06:00

For those of you who would like to do a playgroup, how about we do our first one on Tuesday, April 13? Is 2:00 pm okay with everyone? Any suggestions on where to meet? I think for at least the first meeting we should go somewhere... public.. :) just so we all meet and feel comfortable. Let me know what you think!

Mega Swagbucks

2009-04-02T20:11:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow is mega Swagbucks day, so don't forget to do some searching! If you haven't already signed up, Swagbucks is a search engine (powered by google) that gives you points to search (and shop) online. With those points you earn gift cards (from Target, Starbucks, Southwest Air, etc). I just signed up two weeks ago and already have 50 points!
http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=405703

free Flying Pie pizza on 'your day'

2009-04-02T11:57:00.003-06:00

Flying Pie lets you make a free pizza on 'your day'. You have to go in at certain times to do it, but free pizza is pretty cool! Go to their website:
http://www.flyingpie.com/yourday.html
to find out if 'your day' is anytime soon!

Promoting Local Business

2009-03-30T18:24:00.002-06:00

I feel that it is very important to promote small businesses in town. Small businesses create a healthy, unique community... I love to walk through downtown Boise and see shops and restaurants that are original and whose owners are personally involved in the day to day operation. If you own a small business or just have a favorite company, let us know what it is!

A great find!

2009-03-30T16:52:00.004-06:00

I am posting this just in case it is useful to anyone... I have been searching and searching for an 'Otter Pop' type of popsicle that is made from juice. I finally found TWO brands at the Co-op today. One is made from 100% fruit, the other from juice concentrate. I am sooo excited- they will work wonders on my teething toddler's gums.

Playgroup

2009-03-30T15:42:00.002-06:00

Is anyone interested in doing a playgroup activity once a week? Amber (in one of the comments below) had a suggestion that we might be able to start one. If you are interested, leave your name and e-mail as well as activities you might be interested in doing. Also let me know if there are any days/ times that would work or not work for you....

Updated Playdate Post

2009-03-28T20:47:00.002-06:00

This is the place to comment if you want to find someone out there to meet with for playdates

Organic Clothes

2009-03-28T20:42:00.003-06:00

While spending some quality time online ;) I found a website with some REALLY cute children's shirts. They are organic and a bit pricey but ... very cute. www.tinyrevolutionary.com I also hear Target is getting an organic clothing line in the end of May, but it will only carry it for about a month and a half. Hopefully the clothes will be priced in my budget....

Saving Money

2009-03-26T20:16:00.002-06:00

Unfortunately this is a very hard time for many people. I am a stay at home mom, so I try to help save as much money as possible without having a job. I read lots of blogs that have tips on how to save money, printable coupons, and sometimes even tips on where to find free stuff! Here are a few for you to check out for yourself: www.couponcravings.com, www.coupons.com, www.babycheapskate.blogspot.com, and www.kimberlovesadeal.blogspot.com, Does anyone else follow any blogs they can share with us?

Also I have signed up for swagbucks. It is a search engine powered by google where you earn points for searches you do online... you also earn points when you shop online at places like Walmart and Target. And for those points you get to choose gift cards! From Southwest airlines, Starbucks, Target, etc.... I am working on saving enough points for a free vacation!
Here is the link:
http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=405703

..and.... I'm Back!

2009-03-26T20:13:00.002-06:00

It's been awhile... my son has been keeping me very busy lately. He is getting very sick of being cooped up in the house. So lately we have been coloring, building blocks, and reading LOTS of books. Any other fun indoor ideas for little ones to do? Pretty soon it will be summer and we will be outside as much as we want!

A healthy new year

2009-01-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

My resolution this year is to make my family's home and lives healthier. Last year we stopped cooking in plastic, went bpa free, stopped eating soy more than once or twice a month, and got rid of all cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, and lotion rated higher than a 5 on cosmeticdatabase.com. This year we will continue all of that as well as try to cut back on total plastic usage (shopping bags, Ziploc, TOYS, etc), make our own cleaners from safe ingredients, and eat foods that are less processed.

PLEASE check out www.cosmeticdatabase.com

Q: Why should I be worried about breast cancer?
A: The facts are a wake-up call. In 2007, an estimated 237,000 American women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,500 died of the disease. In the United States, a woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is greater than 1 in 8. Breast cancer accounts for 1 of every 4 cancer diagnoses in women. It is the leading cause of cancer death among women between their 30s and 50s in the United States.

Q: No one in my family has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Am I safe?
A: Unfortunately, no woman is completely safe from breast cancer. In fact, no more than 1 in 10 women who have breast cancer have a genetic history of the disease. Even when all traditional risk factors—including genetic predisposition, reproductive history, diet, exercise and alcohol—are combined, more than half of U.S. breast cancer cases remain unexplained. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that synthetic chemicals and radiation in the environment are linked to breast cancer.

Q: What do chemicals have to do with breast cancer?
A: An estimated 80,000 synthetic chemicals have been registered for use in the United States in the last 40 years, but fewer than 10 percent of them have been fully tested for their effects on our health. Because many of these chemicals accumulate in body fat and remain in breast tissue for decades, every woman, man and child now carries synthetic chemicals in their bodies—including some that have been found to cause mammary tumors.

A 'green' house

2008-12-04T10:06:00.002-07:00

With companies cutting corners to make products less expensive and in greater quantities it is important to be aware of what we are exposing our children to. What do you do to make your home more environmentally friendly and safer for your children?

Activites for the little ones

2008-11-21T21:04:00.002-07:00

Does anyone have fun gymnastics, dance, art, yoga, gymboree or other classes they take their children to?

Picky Eaters!

2008-11-15T10:06:00.002-07:00

Children have their own ideas when it comes to 'good food'. What do you do to make sure your children get all of the necessary nutrients while enjoying what they are eating?

Stretch your dollar

2008-11-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

Even when the economy isn't in a downward spiral it always feels good to save money... does anyone have any unconventional ways or things they do to cut back and spend less?

Household Maintenance

2008-11-12T19:34:00.000-07:00

So, we've all been there... something goes wrong and we have no idea which of the 500 repair people in the phonebook to call. If you have had household work (remodeling, disaster cleanup, rodent problems, ANYTHING) and can recommend a company, list them here....

Playdates!

2008-11-07T18:30:00.000-07:00

If you need friends for your little ones, this is the place to comment!

Date Night Ideas

2008-11-05T15:58:00.000-07:00

Every Friday night after we put our son to bed, my husband and I plan time to do something special together. We focus on each other and it is a great way to spend time together without having to pay for a babysitter and worry about our son while we are away from home. Our favorite 'date' has been a candle-lit bubble bath with wine or champagne. It relaxes us and gives us something to look forward to at the end of the week. Anyone have any suggestions for other 'dates'?

Holiday Recipes!

2008-11-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming faster than we know.... does anyone have a favorite recipe they would like to share?

Pediatricians

2008-10-30T16:24:00.000-06:00

If you have had a positive- or negative experience with your child's doctor, please comment on the doctor's name, clinic name, and what happened. It is much easier to find a good doctor if we can read reviews!

Places to take the little ones in the fall

2008-10-30T15:39:00.000-06:00

Any ideas? We like to go to the Zoo, the Maize, the greenbelt, and the library. They are all fairly inexpensive and great ways to get out of the house!

Walking Buddies!

2008-10-30T15:08:00.001-06:00

I know there are those of us who would like to get out with (or without) our children and work out. It is much easier if you have a schedule and a partner to keep you on track.... if you are interested, comment with your name, activity (walking, running, etc), e-mail, and time(s) you would like to meet with someone... if someone's schedule matches your availability, e-mail them :)

About Mothers Unite

2008-10-30T14:49:00.000-06:00

I am a mother. I have tried endlessly to volunteer at various organizations around Boise, but they won't accept me as a volunteer if I bring my son. I decided that the best thing I could do to help others would be to help others like myself- MOMS. I am sure we share many of the same frustrations.... fussy children, finance worries, fitness woes, etc. I am creating this blog so we can help eachother out.... with advice, recipies, information, and whatever else we deem fit. Hello, and welcome to our blog!